Shuest: Of Time and Power
by Holly of the Night
Summary: Link, the Hero of Time, has been slain. Zelda and Impa take it upon themselves to follow in his footsteps and slay Ganon themselves. But there is more to their quest then evil. Their beliefs, friendships, and willpower against the real world will be tested beyond their endurance.
1. Chapter 1

Hello readers, I'd like to take the time to explain this Zelda fanfic. It takes place in the Adult Timeline, in the Ocarina of Time. And the main characters are Zelda and Impa, who must take it upon themselves to follow the very path Link failed to follow as the Hero of Time to slay Ganon.

But it's not the same as the video game version. There will be difficulties in a realistic sense. Such as hunger, mood swings between characters, and even a question of their own personal faith in the Goddesses and themselves. Enjoy =3

Lost, the feeling to be unable to find one's way

Far off in the woods between the entrance to Kokiri Forest and Lake Hylia, deep within the twisting trees sat a young woman: Princess Zelda.

Although, she had not gone by that title 'princess' for years. She was dressed in a dark blue full body suit that covered her entire figure up to her neck and wrists. With a ruffled white shirt with torn sleeves and waist-length in size over her suit. The upper shirt had a turtle-neck that covered her lower jaw and nose. On her shirt blazed the red Sheikah symbol: an eye with three triangles to represent eyelashes, and a large running teardrop.

The turban that covered Zelda's upper head was undone. Golden hair spilled on her pale face and shoulders. But she hardly noticed. The young woman was staring hard at the ground, her elbows resting lightly on her knees.

Link...

Dead.

Zelda clenched her fists, the bandges that covered her wrists shifted. She couldn't believe the years she spent savagely believing he could actually destroy the evil that plauged Hyrule for over seven years. It was even more of a shock that he was slain by Ganon's phantom, despite the power of the Master Sword.

But how?

Zelda closed her eyes and lightly bumped her closed fists with her forehead. What did they do wrong? Link had the Triforce of Courage, the Master Sword and Ocarina of Time to mark him as the Hero of Time. He was DESTINED to slay evil. Yet evil was the victor.

Maybe Link was not supposed to do this by himself? Maybe Zelda should have assisted him in combat the entire time? She coudn't be sure anymore. The young woman was just floudering in the dark, searching for the light that may not even be there.

"Zelda."

She looked up. A tall and muscular woman was propped against a tree on the other side of the tiny clearing. She had her arms crossed over a tattered dark brown cloak. The outline of her breast-plate beneath her cloak was almost lost to the wrinkes in her clothing. Her red eyes seemed to gleam as they watched the sun slip over the horizon. The setting sun sent spidery shafts of light struck through leaves and greenery, casting long hues over their surroundings with stark shadows against bright orange and green.

"Are you absolutely sure the Hero of Time has been defeated?"

This again?

How many times was this woman going to bring it up?

As an answer, Zelda pulled down her blue wristband and glanced at the Triforce symbol on her left hand. The upper and lower left glowed softly against her skin, almost as if they were breathing. The lower right triangle, however, was dim. As if it too had died.

Zelda still remembered the searing pain she felt on her hand. And the sudden loss of life in that small symbol.

"I'm sure," Zelda whispered.

Impa fingered a small blue object in her large callous hands: the Ocarina of Time. "What do we do now?"

Zelda glanced at her friend and trainer with ruby eyes. She still didn't remove the magical disguise. It was almost a habit she walked around a male. She had no idea how far Ganon's power limited, especially with the Triforce of Power. If even the slightest chance her apperance was seen by the smallest monster, Ganon would be on her in an instant. "Why are you asking me, Impa?" Zelda asked tiredly. "I have no idea. I expected Link to fix this."

"But he failed."

"I can see that for myself, thank you!" Zelda snapped hoarsely.

The old woman regarded her for a few moments. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I really am. But sitting here moping won't help either of us."

"Then tell me, what do we do?" Zelda asked, gesturing to the sky. Dark gray clouds hung heavy over their heads, reflecting her heavy thoughts. It never shifted. "As you've said, Link failed. Not even the Destined Hero could stop Ganon's evil."

"Then... we'll just have to start off where the Hero left off," Impa said slowly, testing each word.

Zelda narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean we-you and I-will gather the Medallions ourselves and slay Ganon."

"We?" Zelda snorted. It was not genuine. "What can we do that Link hasn't already done?" She felt hope slipping further and further away. "We don't have a Master Sword; Navi, Link's fairy, disappeared without a trace, and Ganon probably has the Light Medallion." She stared at the Ocarina in Impa's hands. "We're just lucky we found that, before Ganon's Minions could."

Impa nodded, her eyes bore into Zelda's. "True, we don't have the same power," she agreed. "But we have each other, while the Hero only had to rely on himself in battle. And we have knowledge where the Hero had to find it along his travels."

She waved a hand. "Those two elements can prove to be vital for us in victory."

Zelda regarded the old woman. She was deadly serious. "Do you really think we can pull this off?" she asked quietly.

Impa shook her head. "I honestly have no idea. But we can try."

Zelda twisted her hands nervously. She had been trained in combat, so she was not the same fragile princess she had been years ago. But she only trained in defense, and concealment. This was approaching danger head-on.

But, if there was even the slightest chance of success...

Zelda looked up.

"Impa, you're right." She stood and dusted off her blue suit. "We can't give up. That would only give Ganon further excuse to gather the Triforce. If there is a chance we can win, or hold him off further, let's do it!"

Impa smiled. "Good." She patted Zelda's shoulder with a heavy arm. She felt her knees buckle. "I suggest we start with Death Mountain."

Zelda straightened her turban(she allowed a few layers of her hair slip out), and pulled up the hood of her turtle neck. "Why there? Link was killed in the Forest Temple."

"Exactly."

Zelda frowned. Impa whistled softly. Far off to their right, two horses raised their heads from grazing. They glanced in Impa's direction. With another whistle they snorted softly and galloped to the duo.

Zelda grabbed the pommel of her gray shaggy mare and climbed the stirrups. "Then why Death Mountain?"

Atop her horse, Impa pulled the reins towards the west, away from the sun. "If the Hero, with the power of the Master sword, could not defeat the monster there. I doubt we would fare any better." She pulled the hood over her head. "For now, we will just gather information before we tackle the temples. And the best place to start are the Gorons; they at least have some knowledge of their own Fire temple."

"And the Shadow Temple," Zelda said, suddenly aware of how close the temples were to one another. In fact, the Shadow Temple was closer to their travels. Minus the Forest temple that steadily gained distance behind them.

Impa grunted. "I'd rather we save that part for later."

Their horses snorted and trotted in a light pace. Somewhere in the distance a poe giggled, keen for the night to take over in their haste for play and trickery. "If only we could use the Ocarina of Time," Zelda sighed. The sacred instrument could teleport them to the temple in an instant. But when she had attempted to play the Minuet of the Forest, shortly after coming across the Ocarina in the Lost woods, nothing happened.

After Impa's close inspection of the instrument, she too failed to find a reason why the Ocarina would not work. Irrefutably this was the true Ocarina, that much she could tell. But the idea that Zelda could not tame the Ocarina like Link only further deteriorated Zelda's spirits. And in her anger threw the useless instrument at a tree, in which Impa decided she should hold onto it for now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The ride to Kakariko village was quiet and unsettling. Far off into the horizon, Zelda could make out the peaks of Hyrule Castle. Dark, desolate with large cracks edged on the walls. The bridge, once strong and magnificient, lay battered and destroyed in the moat. It looked frightening even from this distance: Zelda suppressed a shudder.

The horses trotted up a slope into an opening in the base of the mountain, the sides of the cliffs rose high to block out the noon sun. Kakariko village opened up before them in the end of the trail. It was teeming with even more people than Zelda remembered last time she was here. Since Ganondorf's ruling, many of Hyrule's previous residents took shelter in this small village.

Kakariko village itself was quite spacious, with small landscapes and green grass, despite its location in a mountain with nothing but stone and rock. Wooden buildings flashed signs for inns and shops and games. A tall stone windmill squeezed between the village and the Graveyard looked old, yet somehow comforting. And the village had an outpost, so tall that it even reached above the Windmill. The village might have looked cheerily inviting.

Were it not for the massive black clouds hovering over Death Mountain's village like a wicked hand over an ant hill.

Everywhere Zelda looked, she could see many people in tents. Small rings of rocks with what used to be fires, now blackened deris, lined the shelters respectfully. Residents gossiped and talked as they came to and fro from visiting neighbors. But it was an unsettling feeling.

They were all afraid.

Zelda subconsciously ran her hand through her tangle of brown hair. Impa had ordered the young woman to remove her Sheikah outfit and don a more natural look before they arrived.

Now Zelda rode in the village, with a long sleeve gray tunic, leather boots and white slacks. The brown hair was magicially charmed by Impa herself, along with Zelda's brown eyes. Despite her new look to blend in, Zelda still felt out of place with so many people. Like a pig among dogs.

"Impa, couldn't we find another route to reach Death Mountain?" she asked quietly as they rode into a stables.

"No." The older woman answered simply, scratching her shiny black hair. She, too, did not find comfort in the magic. The side effects itched. "We will stay here for the night."

Zelda froze. "What? Are you out of your mind? It's too dangerous here! We are better off sheltered in the mountains!"

Impa craned her neck around to stare at her companion. Her eyes looked troubled before she shifted her eyes to the peak. The black swirls didn't look too inviting.

"Yes, usually I would say we are much safer camping alone than in a village. But... we're much too close to Ganon's evil here. We have no idea what we're up against. Even if we rode out now, we still wouldn't arrive in the Goron's lair before the night takes over."

"But I haven't seen any visions of our demise yet," Zelda pointed out quietly as they entered the stables. It smelled of horse and hay. A snort issued every now and then from one of the pens.

Impa passed her stirrups to a stableboy and waved for Zelda to do the same. "Zelda, after this unfortunate turn of events, you must all see that your visions may not be absolute. I feel better if we take precautions before rushing ahead of ourselves. Even if you envision our victory, we must not follow it along without question."

Zelda lowered her head. Impa wrapped her large arm around her shoulders and shook her slightly. "Don't be so down. We're still fine," she said with a smile. "Now come on, we'll go to my old house and get something to eat."

But the Impa's building was full, with so many people and stagglers. They tried three other buildings and inns. But all were either full or too frightened to allow strangers into their homes.

"You'd think they'd show you a bit more respect," Zelda grumbled as she whipped out her blankets and rested her back against a tomestone, too exhausted to apologize to whomever's spirit rested here. The Graveyard behind the Village was their best bet. But she was inured to such conditions. Most of the time they slept on solid rock.

"If they knew who I was, yes," Impa sighed, scraping her messy hair irritably, her usual tight bun undone with her insistent scratching. Zelda doubt hers looked any better. Though they removed the hair and eye color charm, the itchiness still lasted quite a while.

Despite the darkness in the night, the Poes could still be seen clearly in the dark. They had their own form of unusual light that was both interesting and strange. Zelda and Impa settled in a small circle, dining on stale bread and salted meat. Impa forbade Zelda when she asked if they could start a small fire.

"Use your magic," Impa said simply, tearing into a chunk of Cucco meat.

Zelda shifted slightly. "I try not to rely on magic too often," she muttered.

Impa smiled. "It does not hurt to charm yourself a warm meal once in a while."

Zelda nodded. She was right. The brown-haired woman glanced at her cold meat. She had not used magic to cook her meals in a while. She'll have to start slow.

Zelda breathed slowly and twiddled her fingers over her meal.

Just a small fire spell, she told herself.

Warmth spread through her hand. Tiny pinpricks of light flowed from her fingertips and blanketed the meat. It almost seemed to melt through the skin. Zelda smiled when she saw the first wafts of smoke rise slightly from the brown Cucco meat. Encouraged, the young woman tried again.

"Impa, it worked!" Zelda smiled. "And so-hot!"

She waved her fingers wildly and dropped her meat. Impa laughed.

After dinner, the duo sat contently, watching the Poes dance and groan in the Graveyard like. Their forms bobbed in strage shapes. Some looked round and whooly, others had definite human shapes, with translucent skin. It was almost a beautiful sight, if Zelda were not reminded these were dead spirits.

The blond-haired woman blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. She strummed a few notes on her harp thoughtfully. She smiled; it sounded nice. Zelda twiddled her fingers over the strings. The music danced in the night, playing for the ears and skies.

Impa was watching her.

"What are you playing?"

Zelda paused. "Bolero of Fire. Do you like it?"

Impa nodded. "I've never heard you play it before."

"I haven't." She continued to play the melody carefully. "This is my first time."

"Indeed?"

Zelda glanced at Impa knowingly. "It is the song played to teleport the player up there." She glaced at the tip of Death Mountain. She need not struggle to locate it in the dark. A ring of blazing fire circled the top like a living thing. "I've had dreams myself playing these notes. Over and over again. As if I was preparing myself for a play."

Zelda finished her piece with a final note. She stared hard at the golden harp. "Except... that play will never come true."

Impa nodded slightly.

With her harp packed safe and securely in her bag, Zelda lay back on the tombstone. It was when she glanced up she was surprised to find that every Poe had gathered here, staring at her intently. They were hoping for another play.

Zelda was a bit flustered by such an audience. But she was too tired to play her harp again.

The Poes took her lack of activity as an ends to the Harmony, and floated dejectedly back to their corners of the Graveyard to resume their leisure of weaving in and out of sight.

"I read stories that they attack anyone who ventures in their graveyard at night," Zelda said, eyeing the spectral spirits curiously. "They feel... different. But also harmless."

Impa nodded slightly. "They do not attack because I am here."

Zelda glanced at her curiously. But the Sheik already had her eyes closed. She stared at her sleeping companion before she looked at the spirits again. Evetually their glowing lulled her into a deep dreamless sleep.

Zelda stretched luxiriously. The morning sun tried to bath the Graveyard with its brilliant golden sheen, but the large Windmill stood stubbornly in its path.

The duo cleaned up camp, re-set the charms on their hairs and eyes, and entered the Village for breakfast. They settled in a crowded diner that was more or less serviceable. The food arrived late, but it was not bad in Zelda's opinion, compared to her horrible magic cooking from last night. Well fed and cheerier, the duo made their way to the direction of the stables.

Zelda grimaced. Today was the day they trekked to Death Mountain. And hopefully find some answers. If not there, she hoped her visions would give her some clue.

It was when Zelda arrived at the stables she realized Impa was not beside her. Confused, the brown-haired woman turned back the way she came.

Impa had stopped walking about three yards behind her. But now she was just standing there!

"Impa!" Zelda called. But the older woman failed to hear her. Zelda was crossed. They should be going. "Honestly," she muttered, stepping forcefully to her companion's side.

But when Zelda got a good look at her face she frowned. "Hey, are you okay?"

The Sheik didn't answer. She was staring at something over Zelda's shoulder. Her green eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open. It took Zelda a few moments to realize Impa was frightened. She rarely ever saw her friend make such a face before.

Zelda looked over her shoulder.

And saw the water Well.

she stared, transfixed like her friend, at the excavation.

Something was wrong.

Zelda could feel her heart beat painfully on her chest. Something was very wrong.

She did not know how else to explain it, but it felt like the Well was... impatient. And it reeked of evil, so foul Zelda almost gagged. There's something inside this well; something that shouldn't be here, with all these people. Zelda never felt it before the few times she visited Kakariko village in the past.

But now...

There it is again!

Zelda took a hasty step back and instinctively drew the dagger beside her scabbard. Impa still didn't move.

She could feel something, an invisible force, push insistently from the Well. It was intent. Hungry for blood. To massacre everything in this village that were so close, yet so far away from its grip.

But its taste for blood hung so thick and heavy Zelda swayed.

"Impa..."

Zelda glanced at her friend again. The old woman was shaking. Zelda grabbed her hand and pulled her to the far side of the village, until a building blocked the Well from view.

Impa snapped out of it nd staggered against the wall. She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead with her fingers. Zelda glanced back where they came from.

"How could anyone live here, with that thing so close to breaking?"

"They are aware," Impa said, her eyes still closed. "But they do not know what to do, or where to go. They just know to avoid the well. Notice how no animal, or person, ventures anywhere near it? They all make a wide berth, as if they too can feel the monster beneath the Well."

"Is it Ganonondorf?" Zelda asked quietly. "Is he doing this somehow? You told me you sealed up that monster. I thought it might've died, away from feasting on victims."

"It's very much alive. And close to breaking the Seal."

"What?" Zelda gasped.

Impa nodded grimply. "It's pulled by Ganon's evil. It's intent to escape. I have no idea how long that seal will hold."

"Then we must seal it back!" Zelda declared, turning back to the Well. She reached into her bag to whip out her Costume.

"No!" Impa grabbed her arm. "We are not prepared for that thing yet. I was fortunate to close it off from the rest of the world. But its hiberation in that Darkness made it stronger."

"But-!"

"We must find traverse to the Fire Temple first," Impa said forcefully. "And hopefully the medallion. If we have at least one sage of power by our side, I'll feel better combating that thing."

"But you are a sage yourself!" Zelda argued. "As am I!"

"But we do not know how to awaken our abilities," Impa pointed out. "Somehow the Hero of time did it in your dreams. Maybe because he was the hero, or it had something to do with the Master Sword. But until then, we must find Darunia."

Impa stood. She wasn't shaking anymore. "You said the Goron leader was the Sage of Fire, correct?"

Zelda nodded.

"Then we'll see if he had heard the calling from the Sacred Realm too. And if we're lucky, we'll find this Legendary Hammer you saw in your dreams too. Come." Impa slouched to the stables.

Zelda glanced at the Well again. She bit her lower lip. This felt wrong. To leave all these people behind. If they're too late and that thing breaks out...

Zelda shook the mental image away and turned her back on the well, her eyes on the Mountain.


	3. Chapter 3

Zelda shielded her eyes from the glare of the sun and shook her head. "Impa, what if we tell Darunia that he is the Sage of Fire? Do you think he'll believe us?"

Impa shrugged. She had no idea. Because of Ganondorf's evil, the Sages were unable to hear the message from the Sacred Realm, after Link appeared with the Master Sword. It was his job to awaken them. How, Zelda had no idea, but she assumed it would work itself out when the time came.

Now, however, it was up to her and Impa to attain this task. Yet neither knew how or what to do in order to start this process of Medallion-hunting. That was another reason why they were so keen to visit the Gorons. Maybe they had answers. Maybe Darunia already knew he was a Sage. It was a long shot, but Zelda clung to that hope like her blue body suit.

Zelda felt her horse stir. It was agitated. She patted its head and tried to mutter soothing words, but the horse just fought harder.

Is it the Mountain? Zelda thought fretfully. Could it be something here spooking it?

Try as Zelda might, the horse kept bucking wildly beneath her. It wouldn't take another step. Impa was having similar problems with her steed. It became a hassle that she jumped off the horse. Immediately the chestnut equine pounded back down the trail.

"Zelda! Get off!" Impa commanded. "It's not use! They are too frightened!"

"I'm trying!" Zelda struggled to pull her boot off the stirrup. The horse gave an almighty jerk and bucked the rider off its saddle. Free of its owner, the horse tore down the trail.

However, it was not aware Zelda's boot was still stuck on the stirrup, dragging its rider with it.

"That stupid horse!" Zelda spat. Her turtleneck and disheveled turban were colored brown with dirt. The bit of hair that poked out of the cloth were grimy. Her eyes stung, and Zelda was in a sour temper.

Impa was not doing any better. While Zelda managed to snag all the gear from her horse, Impa failed to retrieve all the supplies from her own. Between them they only had food for a few days, Impa's sword, Zelda's long dagger and various other weapons she kept magically hidden in her body suit, the Ocarina, and blankets. Along with a few materials like a compass and oil to keep their weapons from rust. Zelda's magic could only go so far without proper supplies.

Impa paused held out her hand. "Did you hear that?"

Zelda glanced around. She could not see anything, wide rocky hills jutted out on either side. Between them large piles of stones were strewn over the path.

"What is it?"

Impa frowned. "Nothing. Let's go."

They did not walk far before they halted again, this time by Zelda. She nodded at a small and overturned stone on their left. They could hear faint scrabbling noises. The young woman walked carefully around the edge and leapt to the other side.

Zelda leaped back in shock, when something small, green and fast slithered out from behind the rock.

"A Lizalfos!"

Impa came closer. "A baby."

It was true. Unlike the species that grew to six feet as adults, this Lizalfos was only about a third of their height. It was still too young to stand properly, relying on its front legs for balance. It had a bright green tinge on its scaly skin. Wide yellow eyes stared at the duo curiously, pink tongue flicking out every now and then.

"I've never seen a baby Lizalfos before," Zelda said. She watched it warily. "Is it dangerous?"

"No." Impa was looking around carefully. "But it's not the baby I'm worried about."

Zelda did not miss the tone in her voice. She, also, looked at their surroundings.

"It's presence means must mean Lizalfos are nearby," Zelda predicted.

The white-haired woman nodded grimly. "We'll have to be careful from here on out."

The duo continued their trek. They heard movement behind them and turned. The Lizalfos was crawling after them. It stopped when they stopped, staring at them like something interesting on display.

"Go away." Zelda waved her hand. "Shoo."

The baby Lizalfos cocked its head to the side and watched her curiously. Zelda turned and walked a few steps. She looked over her shoulder. The baby kept following them.

"Zelda!" Impa whispered. Said female looked at her companion, but Impa was staring upwards. Zelda followed her eye sight. Scaly green heads stared unblinkingly at her from the top of cliff.

Something large thudded ahead of them. More Lizalfos were crawling over rocks, slithering out of narrow holes, all the while watching them intently. Some child-like Lizalfos, others babies, mostly adults. They completely surrounded the duo from all sides. Zelda and Impa immediately backed against one another.

There were more Lizalfos here than Zelda thought. Far far more.

One of the adult Lizalfos suddenly leaped in front of them. Impa immediately unsheathed her blade and swung. The Lizalfos leapt back with a snarl.

"Nobody move!" she commanded.

Zelda quickly unsheathed her dagger and crouched. They were going to have to fight their way out.

But to her surprise, the Lizalfos did no such thing, on the contrary, they looked frightened. A few of them scooped up their young and slithered away.

Zelda glanced at Impa cautiously. What was this? Lizalfos feasted on human flesh. They served under Ganondorf. Yet they were doing no such thing to apprehend two complete strangers, alone and surrounded.

Zelda felt something tug her leg. It was the baby Lizalfos. It had its small teeth clamped on her boot, shaking its head viciously. Keeping her eyes on the Sauria, Zelda tried to shake the baby off, but it clung on.

"We should kill them now, before more come," Zelda whispered.

Impa didn't answer. She narrowed her eyes. "Something's amiss with these Sauria," she murmured, more to herself. "They don't have weapons or armor. They're not even preparing to fight."

"Really?" Zelda panted. She gave a final shake, but the young Lizalfos didn't let go. She reared her arm back. She was going to have to kill it.

A sharp screech pierced the air. Distracted, the Sheikah-clad woman glanced up. The Lizalfos that tried to attack earlier stepped forward again. It was staring at the blade in Zelda's hand, before switching its gaze to the baby Lizalfos. Fear and anger clouded its reptilian eyes.

Zelda glanced from the Lizalfos to the baby and back.

"..." Slowly she unsheathed her dagger.

"What are you doing?" Impa demanded.

Zelda didn't answer, mainly because she did not know how to answer her companion's question. Instead she bent down and grasped the baby's jaws in her hands. The Lizalfos flinched.

Thank goodness for wristbands, she thought as Zelda carefully pulled the baby off her boot. It squirmed in her grip, but she held on tight, one hand on its neck, the other by the tail in a firm yet gentle grip.

"Watch my back," she murmured quietly before she stepped forward. Her eyes met the Adult Lizalfos, and she held out the baby.

The Sauria stirred. The light green creature, whom Zelda was now sure was the mother, stepped forward a few paces.

Zelda did nothing.

But the baby was fighting tooth and nail. It took everything she had not to thrust it violently away. First impressions were important.

The mother glanced at the dagger in Zelda's sheath and back at her. Zelda tensed.

Then the mother grabbed the baby and scurried back.

Zelda dropped her arms by her sides.

The Lizalfos stirred again, but once again, it was not the sense of preparing for an attack that Zelda sensed. The Sauria stared at them curiously, hissing softly to one another and jabbing pointedly with their tails or gesturing with claws.

"Impa," Zelda muttered. "I don't like this."

Impa grunted. "They're trying to figure out who we are. They're waiting for a patrol to arrive." The Sheikah had studied Lizalfos language during her time in Hyrule.

Zelda cursed under her breathe.

The Sheikah did not like this. Although, Impa could not find what else there was to like about a group of Lizalfos gawking them like they were clowns.

She studied Lizalfos language, true, but that was for military purposes.

Still, she accepted that at least these Sauria were not going to harm them.

"We mean no harm," Impa called. Although to Zelda all she would hear was spitting and rasps.

The Sauria grew silent. They stared at Impa in some surprise, but a few looked suspicious.

"... You speak our language," one of them hissed.

Impa nodded. "I do. My friend and I," she gestured in Zelda's direction, "are mere travelers. We wish to see the Gorons."

"Gorons?" The Lizalfos shifted. The atmosphere changed. "Why?"

"We heard rumors that the Gorons are excellent blacksmiths." Impa spread her arms. She forgot she was still holding her blade. The Lizalfos flinched.

"Sorry." She dropped her weapon but made no move to sheath it. "We wanted to meet these Master Blacksmiths. We heard they reside in this mountain."

A Lizalfos with a dark green scaly head and bright green stripes nodded slowly, as if this conclusion made sense. "Too late though, you came too late. Gorons are dead."

Impa's lips tightened. A sign that she was extremely grave, but she must remember she was among the enemy.

"That is... unfortunate. How did this happen?"

"Our Guardian," The Lizalfos flicked out a tongue. "Our Guardian descended from the fires and consumed the Gorons so that we may spread and live without troubles."

Impa was stunned. "Who is this Guardian?" she pressed. It could not have been Ganondorf. The Sheikah had no idea if he ate Gorons or not, but she was quite sure he couldn't even if he tried. Goron meat was very tough, and hardly edible for the common human.

"That tale is too long to tell." The Lizalfos hissed. Even as he said this, Zelda could see the other Lizalfos begin to back away. "With no Gorons, you should leave. And we should be going. It is not proper for a Lizalfos to consult with a human."

"Wait," Impa called. but the Lizalfos began to disappear over rock, scale cliffs, until their tails disappeared then shoot through tunnels too narrow for the average human.

Impa and Zelda were alone.

Zelda glanced at Impa beneath her turban. "What just happened?"

Impa looked troubled. "Complications," she muttered, and explained what the Lizalfos told her.

Zelda looked shocked. "Surely they must be lying?"

"Maybe," Impa agreed, but her mind shifted to an old memory. Zelda did mention the Hero of Time facing a dragon made of fire. She shook the thought away.

"Come on, horses won't be much use anymore. Besides, we'll need the concealment."

Zelda nodded and followed her steadily yet carefully up the mountain.

It was evident that the Lizalfos were more numerous in this mountain than even Impa perceived. Everywhere the duo looked, they found Lizalfos sprawled on flat rocks, soaking up the sun, lazing in the heat of the weather. Some fought or played, and others watched small Lizalfos with a critical eye as they too enjoyed the pleasure of outdoor.

They were so comfortable that none noticed nor smelled two people pass quietly through their territory.

"That was a bit too easy," Zelda said, after they were safely out of any Lizalfos' ears to be overheard. She and the older woman were now walking up a narrow path on the side of the mountain. She wiped a trickle of sweat from her eye. The heat was really starting to get to her.

The steep wall rose high on their left, while to the right lay a sheer drop. Impa too was sweating. The few loose strands that escaped her bun plastered onto her face, but she ignored it as she gazed straight ahead.

"Those Lizalfos. They were not trained warriors, just inhabitants of this Mountain," she said. "The others probably did not think we would keep going. None of them looked alert."

They found the open, hidden entrance to Goron's cavern. Tucked behind a wall of rock that blocked the opening for all who did not stray from the path. The duo only found the entrance because Impa knew of the location. She mentioned visiting the Gorons before in the past, when she still lived in Kakariko village all those years ago.

Zelda was curious, Impa had such an elusive history, before she pledged herself to the Royal Family. What she did for a living, she never told Zelda explicitly. The few bits of information she did unravel were during times like these, when it called for Impa's knowledge.

So Impa took the lead with Zelda close behind her as they walked carefully through the dark entrance.

It was very spacious, enabling them to walk side-by-side. The air smelled stale and sour, like opening a very old jar and allowing the compressed smell to escape at once.

Zelda was glad for the turtleneck. It blocked most of the stink from her nostrils as she and Impa walked through a long and dark tunnel.

Impa had unearthed a small torch from her bundle and raised the torth slightly higher to allow the light to spread farther around them.

They did not know what to expect. Zelda saw every rock a Goron. Every shadow passed out a sign of a creature shuffling away from the light. They kept their ears open for the slightest sound, but all was quiet when they arrived at the end of their tunnel.

It stopped outside of a large opening, so wide that Zelda could not even see the ceiling. The walls spread out on either side of them. In front of her was just as dim.

Small pinpricks of light glowed in the darkness. Torches, but by the looks of it, they were in desperate need of more fuel. How long since the Gorons tended to them? It was enough, however, for Zelda to make out vague surfaces.

They did not need the light to see that there was no one here. No sound except their breathing. No sight except rock.

Impa crouched and inspected the ground while Zelda waved her fingers and ignited a small yet comforting beacon of blue light in her left hand. She raised the light higher and scanned the clearing.

Nothing. Empty. As if the Gorons got up and just left, but why? Had Ganondorf discovered their home? Did he do something?

Zelda turned to the wall. It was when she observed a painting on the surface that the young woman noticed something was off.

The wall had a long black smear over the paintings.

She crept closer and pressed her hand against it. It was coo.. Small flakes sprinkled off the wall as she lightly scraped over the substance. Soot. Dried soot. Zelda looked much more closely at the ground. Scorch marks.

She raised her head and noticed large sections of the ceiling were also burnt, and oddly shaped. As if something came with a large knife and scraped the ceiling.

"Impa..."

The Sheikah glanced up. She followed Zelda's gaze and narrowed her eyes.

"Volvagia," Impa growled.

"Do you think it's true what that Lizalfos said? Maybe all the Gorons have been eaten?"

Impa shook her head. "I have no idea. You said you envisioned Link slay the dragon and free the Gorons. But most likely the dragon may have just skipped ahead and masticated them."

This was too much for Zelda to take. They quickly left the cavern and arrived outside again.

Zelda peered at the top of the mountain. A gust of wind ruffled her clothing, her long ponytail fluttered in the breeze.

"Should we... keep going?" she asked hesitantly. The whole purpose for this climb was to meet the Gorons in the hopes for some answers. If they charged blindly in the Fire Temple, that would be no different then entering the Forest Temple without a plan or intel.

Impa too was gazing up at the peaks.

"We'll have to risk it. Hopefully we'll find at least one Goron there who could sha-"

Impa suddenly turned and whipped out her blade. Zelda followed suit a moment later. Something was shuffling just out of their line of vision on the other side of the trail. A green snout poked around the edge of the path. It sniffed the air curiously and flicked its forked tongue.

The snout froze. A reptilian head appeared, along with the rest of its body. It was much taller than the other Lizalfos Zelda saw. Powerful muscles lined its scaly hide. It had armored shoulder blades and chest plate. A blade dangled from a sheath tied to its thigh. It's snout was broader, with ridges lining the crest of the head down to the tip of the snout.

The Dinolfos glanced at Zelda and Impa, its eyes narrowed.

Zelda tensed.

The Dinolfos rolled its eyes. "Oh, perfect. More tourists," it hissed. It sounded masculine, and very annoyed.

Zelda stared. What? She glanced at Impa. This Dinolfos could speak!

The Reptile snorted. "If you want to slay us too, let me tell you we're done with that now. Unless you want Volvagia to eat you, take your weapons, get out of this mountain, and never return." He turned and flicked his tail irritably.

"Hey!" Zelda called, thinking fast. She almost punched herself for calling out. But she could not help it. What was going on here? None of these Lizalfos seemed to express any aggression at all. Something was out of place about it.

"Oh, what is it?" the Dinolfos demanded, some of his natural language cropping out that his sentence sounded more like hiss. "I'm very busy. I don't have time to play Defend the fort."

"We're not here to slay Sauria," Impa said, but she still kept her blade out. "We wanted to know what happened to the Gorons."

"Gone, aren't they?" the Dinolfos said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Volvagia needs to eat too. If you came just for that, you've wasted your time."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Salisar, don't crawl off edge!" Daijon snapped. He reached down and plucked the small Lizalfos from the narrow trail and set her safely on the other side. "Honestly, you'd think they were still hatchlings!"

Dein didn't answer. The Lizalfos layed on her back, arms and legs outstreched to soak up the sun's rays. Her eyes were closed intently and her bright stomach seemed to glow even brighter, matching her mood as she tuned out her mates' complaints.

The Dinolfos was moody. He expected to relax and enjoy the sunlight too. But then his mate pushed the babies his way and told him it was his turn to watch them! Dein explained she was exhausted after patroling the temple, and all Daijon had to do was walk around and strut like a leader.

"It's not as easy as it sounds!" he had retorted. But Dein simply lay on her back and tuned him out, forcing the grumpy Daijon to watch over the twins.

He suddenly glanced around. Sak was missing.

There was a sudden squeal from the corner of the rock. Daijon and Dein shot forward at the same time. The small Lizalfos had been peering over the edge of the mountain, but he was not yet used to clutching the rocks with the strands of miroscopic hair on the palms of his feet.

With a squeal the baby slipped. He was clinging to the edge with his front claws now, his eyes wide and terrified. The parents darted forward at the same tme. Dein reached him first.

And the baby slipped.

Daijon and Dein made no sound. They watched, horrified, as the baby plummeted down the rocky mountain.

There was a whoosh of wind. Daijoin felt something blow past his face. Startled the Dinolfos stepped back.

He raised his head. Dein heard it too.

Squeaks.

Something small and green floated in front of them. It was Sak, floating in thin air, almost as if an invisible hand were carrying the baby Lizalfos in its clutches. Sak floated towards his parents and dropped himself securely in Daijon's clawed talons. The Dinolfos was too stunned to realize that the baby was safe. Somehow, miraculously, he was unharmed.

Was it the God's doing?

Dein quickly snatched Sak from his grip and snarled at the baby with bared teeth. About how stupid he was for leaving the pack, could have gotten himself killed, all the while nuzzeling his head worridly.

"Let's go back to the den," Dein sighed. "I don't want another heart attack."

Daijon made to follow her, grateful for the idea of a nap. But something caught his eye. Someone was watching them. A figure in blue, at the edge of a large slab of stone beside the wall. He stared directly at Daijon with a single red eye.

Dein followed his gaze. The figure vanished.

"What is it?" she whispered. Daijon saw her slowly unsheath the dagger clung to her waist.

"It's nothing," he assured her. The last thing he wanted was a fight, when sleep was close. "But I just realized I left my helmet on the other side of the mountain."

"Again?" Dein snapped. Daijon nodded slightly. "If this keeps up, I should look for a new mate. Volvagia will surely snack on you before the hatchlings are full grown!"

"Not while I'm alive," he shot back before he turned tail and ran.

"Alright, what do you want?" he snapped as he came around the corner.

Impa and Zelda were sitting patiently just on the other side of the wall. He only met them twice, and already Daijon felt they did not deserve to live if they caused him this much stress.

"Is that that thanks we get for saving that baby Lizalfos's life?" The male in blue asked cooly.

Daijon glared suspiciously. He snorted, although he racked his eyes over the blue-claad youth either way, for signs of a weapon. "Right... is that all you wanted? I don't need a flesh-walker to stand over my head-"

Daijon had no idea what happened. He was comfortably ranting about flesh-walkers, when the the male in blue pulled something from beneath his sleeve. There was a loud crack, a flash of blue, and the Dinolfos found himself lying on the ground.

He struggled to stand and found he was restrained by ropes. They dug tightly in his scales. His tried to open his jaws to call for help, but they were enclosed in a makeshift muzzle. The large female with white hair held his weapon loosely in her hand. To his left, the blue-clad flesh-walker glared down at him with a single red eye.

Daijon glared back defiantly, demanding answers with his eyes as he fought violently in his binds.  
The male in blue crouched and placed a dagger beneath his throat. "Calm down, Daijon. Yes, we know your name," he answered in conjunction with the Dinolfos's look of surprise. "And these bind are the only way to ensure we have your full... cooperation. We're not going to kill you, at least unless you comply" he said quietly. Daijon uttered a growl of disbelief, but kept quiet. "We just want your help."

The Dinolfos blinked suspiciously.

"I'm going to take this off now, but please don't shout." Daijon jerked a comply. "Good."

The muzzle was released. Daijon snarled, but quietly. "What is the meaning of this? Who are you?"

"I am Shei, this is my partner, Tefla," Sheikah answered. "We need you to escort us to the Fire Temple." He sheathed his dagger. "That's it."

Daijon looked at him as if he crazy. "Are you asking for a death wish?" he asked incredulously. "Do you realize only those welcomed in the Temple can walk in or out alive?" Sheik said nothing. He glanced at the woman beside him thoughtfully. She, too, was staring at Dinolfos. Not with disgust, but curiosity. Studying him intently.

Daijon looked away.

"Where are the entrances?" Sheik demanded. "And I repeat, if you say anything out of line, I will stab your artery, right... here," he tapped Daijon's chest, directly above the heart. "Do you know what happens if your atery is torn?"

Daijon gulped slightly.

"Blood will squirt out of your wound like a leak in a barrel. It will not stop, and in no time you will die of blood loss. Do you think I am joking?"

"What... what do you want?"

"I told you, we just want to see the Fire Temple." Sheik stood. "No more, no less."

Daijon looked Sheikah up and down sharply. He glanced away. "... all entrances are heavily guarded by Lizalfos."

"Where?"

"The center of our underground tunnels. It's always crawling with Lizalfos."

Sheik swore. An attempt to infiltrate Lizalfos domain was not something that could be accomplished easily.

Tefla spoke. "There is another entrance you failed to mention, is there not, Daijon?" she said.

Both looked around "What?" Daijon demnded, his heart pumping uncomfortably on his chest.

"The summit of Death Mountain," she said, watching his face closely. "Is that guarded?"

Daijon hesitated.

Sheik unsheated his blade again and pressed it over Daijon's heart.

"Yes!" Daijon gasped. "But you must understand, I can't enter without permission! Volvagia will eat me alive if we're found!"

Sheik rubbed his turtle-neck fabric distractedly. His eyes were faraway, thinking. "... look, we're not going to kill you if you comply. We're not going to hurt anyone. We just want safe passage in the Fire Temple. If you can manage that, we'll let you go after we've finished our business. But if you don't comply, we'll kill you. Fair?"

Daijon fidgeted in his binds. If he complied, he was basically ensured a free chance to live; only if he successfully guided them to the Fire Temple and back, something that was close to impossible. But if he refused, death would meet him in the front. He may not have another choice.

Anyway, if he needed to escape, he could slip away from them while they trekked up the mountain. Lose them in the trail and go back to his pack to call back up. Then kill them and offer their flesh to the Guardian.

Daijon smiled, revealing a row of pointed teeth. Not an excellent plan, but it was something. "Deal."

Sheik nodded approvingly. "Glad you see it our way." He blinked thoughtfully for a moment. "And just in case..." he shot his hand forward. Small tendrils of purple haze streaked out of his fingertips and twined around Daijon's body.

He hissed, surprised by the sudden motion. He could feel something shoot through his body and settle over him like a net. As soon as it started, it was over.

"What was that?" Diajon demanded. The blue-clad fellow crouched and pulled out his dagger. The Dinolfos flinched.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I need you to keep still while I undo these binds."

Dinolfos complied as the flesh-walker cut the binds. He noted the other flesh-walker watch him carefully. The Dinolfos stood and stretched his muscles. Everything seemed okay.

He rolled his shoulders. Glanced at them one more time. And streaked away. Back to Camp.

He did not go five feet when the Dinolfos felt something tug his limbs. He felt the restraints pull him back. surprised, Daijon tried to run again, and his fell hard on his back. What was that? He could feel something tug his body again, but he couldn't see anything!

He glanced at the flesh-walkers with fury and fear. The blue-clad fellow had his arm out. A dull purpleish cloud surrounded his fingers.

He could see the smile in his eye. "You can't escape until I release you."

Daijon glared. He did not expect them to know magic. This only complicated things further. But he was confident in his abilities. After all, he knew this mountain like the scales on his claw.

"If you try that again, or set us a trap, I will make my spell cut you like a fish, do you understand?" Daijon nodded slightly. "Good. After you."

Daijon scowled. "Alright, come on," he muttered.

***  
The group paced steadily up the mountain trail. Daijon was kept at least three meters ahead of the group. And he was true to their word. He led them around strong trails that would not break underfoot, revealed footpaths the eye could not distinguish, safe rest-stops where they could sit comfortably and offer him a few morsels of their small supply.

It was tiring work. Zelda had no idea how tall Death Mountain truly was, until now.

She kept her eyes on the Dinolfos most of the time, nervous that he would try to escape any moment, or do something to signal the other Saurua of their location. This mostly led to her tripping and stumbling dangerously behind until Impa finally told her to focus on her own hands.

Daijon was the first to speak.  
"Who are you flesh-walkers."

"We-" Zelda began, but Impa cut her off.

"Obsessive dragon seekers. We want to study Volvagia firsthand and observe the nature of this creature."

Daijon snorted. "Never met a couple of Sheikah's as crazy as you two. But then again, I never met one until now."

Zelda tugged at the Sheikah symbol on her chest uncomfortably.

"Nice family you have back there," she engrossed.

Daijon whipped around so fast his tail nearly slapped Zelda's face. He bared his teeth. "If you harm them I'll-!"

"It was just a compliment," Zelda said quickly, surprised by the Dinofols's sudden rage. Impa shot her a warning. No more talking. Zelda frowned; how was she supposed to know a Dinolfos's behavior?

As they climbed steadily higher, the Ring of Fire above the peaks of Death Mountain flared a torent of harsh light that forced Zelda to squint her eyes. She kept her head down most of the time, tripping over rocks, stumbling after the Dinolfos with Impa. Daijon did not look uncomfortable in the sudden glare, as he confidently led his companions closer and closer to the top.

Sulfer penetrated Zelda's nostrils. She gagged. The stuff tasted like rotten Cucco eggs. Small flakes of black soot began to fall from the sky. Zelda and Impa had to cough, squint, and cover their mouths with cloth, Zelda hitching the turtle-neck higher.

It was then that Zelda realized Death Mountain didn't just have fire hover over the mesa-it was literally a living volcano. The thought of lava spewing from the top any second worried her greatly. But Impa made no mention of the sudden climate change, so she didn't voice her private concerns

*** "Chapter 5?

"Alright, we're here."

Zelda peered at the long archway nervously. They were standing at the peak of the mountain. The smell of soot stung her nostrils. The air was much thinner this high up in elevation, the wind much stronger. The fire over their heads continued to hover, swirling in an everlasting ring around the mountain like some halo of death.

And the heat!

By the goddess, Zelda thought. It was so hot this close to the entrance she could already feel beads of sweat form on her forehead; her outfit clung stickily to her body. Impa had hair poking out of her tight bun from the humidity. She wiped sweat from her forehead.

Daijon was the only one who looked pleasantly at home in such intense conditions. Zelda almost envied him. Almost.

"Now that I showed you the way, I'll make my leave now." He turned and stomped away. He promply fell back.

Zelda had tugged the magical strings.

He turned furiously in her direction. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"You failed to mention the heat conditions," Zelda said coldly. She gestured at Impa and herself. "How are we supposed to enter the cave? We'd probably die of dehydration before we get very far."

"That is not my problem," Daijon snapped, struggling to find the knot of magic that surrounded him and failing.

"Sheik." Impa had been staring at the entrance, then at the giant boulder that seemed to protrude from the side of the mountain. "That boulder..."

Zelda too glanced at it. "What?" she asked without interest.

Impa didn't answer.

Zelda thought hard. "... what if I use Nayru's Love?" she asked quietly.

Impa looked surprised. "Have you been blessed?"

Zelda shook her head. This was a spell she had dreamed once, of a fairy bathing herself in a soft blueish hue, as light as air, but as strong as steel, and as comforting as a mother holding her baby. This was not a spell one could simply learn; they must first be blessed with this ability by the Great Fairy herself. But her apperances are so rare, few ever receive the chance to attain even one Goddess spell. In fact, the only known person to even know one of the spells was Impa herself.

"You know Nayru's Love," Zelda said. Daijon made an impatient hiss. She ignored it. "So maybe you can use it on both of us."

Impa looked troubled. "It's too risky. My magic is not as powerful as yours. It won't last long."

"But it's worth a shot," Zelda urged.

Impa began to shake her head. Then she froze and glanced at the cave. Zelda heard it too.

From deep within the confines of the cave, a sound penetrated the sounds of swirling fire. It was faint. Zelda slowly faced the entrance. It came again, much louder. A roar.

Daijon gasped.

"Volvagia," he whispered, trembling. Zelda slowly unsheathed her dagger. Impa followed suit.

"Are you crazy?" Daijon shrieked. "If you're going to draw weapons on the Guardian, fine! But free me!"

Zelda snapped her fingers. Her magical barrier over the Dinolfos disappeared. He felt the weight leave his torso, and instantly streaked back down the mountain. She ignored him. Her eyes were trained on the now rapidly illuminating cave.

_It probably smells us,_ Zelda thought. How accurate was a dragon's sense of smell? She was not sure, but it must be very good to locate a Goron's hidden cavern.

"Zelda," Impa backed away. "We must go."

"What?" Zelda glanced at her friend. "But if this creature is responsible for the Gorons extinction, then surely we must-"

"Flee while we still can," Ignoring her protests, Impa grabbed her torso and hauled her to a slab of rock. "Think! I want to slay this dragon as much as you, but we'll just be walking into death's arms if we try to fight that thing here without the Legendary Hammer!"

Zelda opened her mouth furiously. But an earth-shattering roar split the sky, and she swallowed her words. She could feel her bones vibrate and hum. It was as if the very air was banging into her body. Zelda gritte her teeth, it was loud!

She peeked at the entrance, and saw something long and fiery shot out of the cave. So bright it made the already reddish daylight flare. Zelda caught a glimpe of a dark blue-black snout, a long spine with ash-colored back and a bright lava-coated chest. Flames of hair poked out of the head. This was all Zelda saw before the living serpent of fire twisted, coiled in mid-air,and plunged straight to the ground.

It was like watching an eruption backwards. The dragon burrowed underground right in the entrance. The fire spitted and hushed as it plunged into the newly made hole after the snout. The heat so intense Zelda had to turn her head away.

Then silence. The light slowly abated.

The only sounds were Impa's shallow breathe and Zelda's shaky pants.

* * *

Here I incorporated a tiny bit of Lizalfos's POV, in which to introduce the idea that not every single character of Ganondorf's crony are evil, they just work for him because it happens to benefit them for the better.


	5. Chapter 5

They stayed hidden for a minute more before they deemed it safe to come out.

"By the Goddess," Zelda exclaimed, her voice shaking. "How are we supposed to defeat something like that? Even close contact is fatal!"

Impa was carefully staring at the ground Volvagia made. It still burnt and smoked. "Zelda, have you had any more dreams about this dragon? Or the Gorons in general?"

Zelda shook her head. "Only of Link about to deal the finishing blow with the Legendary Hammer, nothing else. And Darunia's attempt to free his kind."

"Yet the Gorons were wiped out," Impa pointed out. "Would that include Darunia too?"

Zelda frowned. That thought never occured to her before. If he was dead, how would they receive the Fire Medallion? "We've only seen an empty lair. The Gorons may be hiding." Even as she said this, Zelda glanced doubtfully at the gave entrance.

Impa shook her head and stood, dusting herself off. "You may be right," she murmured. "But if that's the case, we might as well give up. The Gorons can blend perfectly with their surroundings. We'll never find them if they do not want to be found."

"What? But-but what about Volvagia?" Zelda demanded. "If we slay the dragon, the Gorons will see it is safe again and go back home."

Impa thumbed the hilt of her short blade nervously. "I really wish we could have avoided this," she admitted. "I thought the Gorons would still be alive, and the Sage of Fire would have awakened if you somehow used your Triforce of Wisdom. It was supposed to be an in-and-out plan. No Fire Temple, no dragon involved."

"Sometimes things don't go the way we want them to," Zelda said softly.

Impa kicked rocks beneath her boot moodily. "I know, I know! But we are not prepared to deal with that thing! We don't know anything about it. Where it came from. Its strengths or weaknesses-we'll be fighting blind! If only we had a fairy..."

Fairys were extremely intelligent sprites. It was said that with a glance, they could completely understand everything about a creature. And they made fine companions, if not for brawns, for their brains. Navi was proof of this; a fairy who's never left the forest until she met Link, was able to deduce and figure out an enemy's weakness's at a glance. In fact, she was the one who pointed out Zelda among the many maidens in the castle. Zelda was not sure how Fairy's could do this, except it was some form of magic.

However, since Link's death, Zelda and Impa were unable to locate Link's fairy, Navi.

"There are fairy's in the Kokiri Forest..." Zelda put in hesitantly. "If we had thought to find one..."

Impa gave her a look. "But we didn't, and I regret our hasty retreat. Even if we did not find Navi, there may have been another fairy that could have helped us."

Impa had her arms crossed over her head, crouched just a few feet from Volvagia's hole in deep thought. She seriously did not consider their predicament-they couldn't even take another step in the cave without seriously enduring the rapidly rise in heat; they would not last a minute in there. She felt stuck. They needed another plan.

Zelda's mind shifted to the Ocarina. She knew the notes to teleport them to the Forest in the space of a few seconds. If they could just somehow figure out a way to make it work, Zelda could play the Melody to warp them to the Forest Temple easily, then it would only been a stepping stone to the Kokiri Forest.

"Impa, that Ocarina. Let me see it."

The Sheikah tossed her the instrument. Zelda observed it in all angles. It didn't have that mystical feel she felt when she was a young girl. She tapped it a few times. Spoke words to it, but nothing.

She glanced hesitantly in Impa's direction. "Perhaps if I use the Triforce of Wisdom..."

Impa's eyes flashed. "No!" Without warning she snatched the Ocarina from Zelda's fingers. "Do you not understand the point of 'low key?' Ganondorf might already have the Triforce of Courage; if he could not sense it then, he may now surely locate you in an instant of you use the Trifore of Wisdom for even a moment!"

"But we don't know that!" Zelda protested. "Ganonondorf still thinks I'm somewhere far away!"

"But we don't know that either," Impa pointed out. She stuffed the Ocarina in her bag. "I have not forgotten the dream you shared with me."

Zelda opened her mouth, then shut it, angry with herself for admitting the nightmare she had. A few days ago, the young woman had had a dream of a creature, made of shadow with eyes as bright as the sun, chase her. It told her it knew who she was, pointed out they were ;inked.

She remembered the Triforce of Wisdom shining in her hand in the dream, and the creatures eyes had lit up victoriously before smothering her in shadows, seering her hand with something white-hot, as if trying to burn the mark off her.

Impa had awoken to Zelda's screams. The Triforce in her hand was blazing, burning her skin like fire. Zelda was shaken awake, blubberig words about 'he's here!' and 'He can sense it!' before she fell into an unfitful sleep. Afterwards, impa forbade Zelda from using the Triforce of Wisdom ever again, unless for extreme emergencies.

Zelda tried to pass it off as just a dream, but Impa did not believe it.

"You claimed your hand was burning," she said quietly. "I saw the Triforce glowing!"

"So what?" Zelda had said irritably.

"So that means you may have a link with not only the Hero of Time, but Ganondorf as well," Impa said quietly. "Yet unlike Link, he is aware of this bond, and he's trying to exploit it. Don't try to lie to me, Zelda, I can see you're thinking the same thing as well."

Zelda had lowered her head then. Since then she has not used the Trifore of Wisdom, or thought to use it.

Until now.

"There is always more than one way to defeat an enemy," Impa said, breaking Zelda's thoughts. "Volvagia is no different. We'll observe it for now, see if it comes out again. And if we still can't figure something out... well, let's just give it a shot"

And so the duo stayed at the summit for a few days, watching, observing. Volvagia came out at least once everyday. It would patrol the skies, sometimes fly into the Ring of fire above the Mountain, before it'd leave for long periods of time. It would always return much later, with something in its jaws. Sometimes a burnt cow, other times pieces of rock.

It was not until one of these rocks broke off from Volvagia's jaws before it entered the cave and the duo saw flesh that they realized the startling truth. Somehow, Volvagia was able to track down the last living Gorons, hunting and killing them for a meal.

Zelda saw that Volvagia must not be able to just live off rocks or dark magic. It needed meat to keep it alive, and plenty of it if eating an entire Goron to near extinction did not satify its hunger. Impa noticed the dragon's body looked much darker, and less brighter, after returning from a long hunt. She theorized it needed to be surrounded constantly with fire to keep it strong. And with this information the duo thought and planned.

It was during the last day of their observation with dwindling supplies that they decided today was the day they took action. They waited behind the rock as usual, already used to the intense heat. They watched the dragon shoot out of the entrace as usual, in a string of intense flame.

Impa watched until the dragon disappear over a huge rise in the distance before she signaled to Zelda. The young woman ran out of their concealment, twiddling her fingers. She kept going until she was sure she had enough magic in her fingers before throwing her arms out. She caught the large boulder above the entrance, securely wrapping her hold.

She pulled, straining with the effort. The boulder was very heavy, but Zelda forbid herself to stop. She grit her teeth, flexed her knuckles, and pulled even harder. Impa watched carefully. She quickly signaled for the young woman to stop, just when the boulder was over the edge. Zelda gratefully released her grip.

The older woman nodded. "Now we wait."

_This may just work! _Zelda thought, allowing that small hopeful feeling return. _We might actually pull this off!_

They waited with bated breath. The sun was beginning to go down. They felt cold, stretched, talked, but it was hardly more than a few words; each didn't want to admit how nervous they were. After over an hour of waiting, Zelda pricked her ears. She could hear something coming. Impa already had her head over the fort. Volvagia's stream-lined body of fire was streaking towards them. Clutched in its jaws was the carcass of a human.

Zelda looked away.

She instead focused on the threads of cord between her fingers, tugged them experimentally. She could feel the rock budge slightly.

Impa held her hand. All time seemed to stop as Zelda stared intently at the older woman's palm, waiting, waiting...

There was a swoosh of fire, Impa put her hand down. Zelda pulled as hard as she could on the binds.

A large shuddering thud.

A shrieking squeal of pain.

Dust clouds rolled over them, stinging the young woman's eyes. She covered her eyes with one arm, thankful for the turtleneck covering her mouth and nostrils. She glanced at Impa. The Sheikah had her arm in front of her mouth, eyes shut tight, back pressed against the wall. Zelda could hear powerful strikes thrust the ground, fire burst in the air.

Volvagia continued to scream in pain.

And Impa and Zelda waited silently, neither daring to come out of their hideout.

They waited until it stopped flailing. It's steady absense from fire was rapidly draining its strength. And going further as Volvagia gave out a mournful roar.

Zelda peaked over the boulder.

She could see a long dark red tail poking out of the large slab of stone. Just embers on its surface. It's dark coat of a tail was like some armored black coal, shining under the fire's intense light. Every now and then the tail would flail weakly. Zelda glanced at Impa and carefully walked around the stone.

Impa unsheathed her blade, eyeing the creature carefully.

But Zelda felt there was nothing to be afraid of anymore. Volvagia was starving, it did not have a chance to eat its meal. And it was too weak from the lack of fire. So close to its source, yet it might as well have been on the other side of Hyrule field, considering its predicament.

"Shouldn't it be dead by now?" Zelda whispered cautiously, eying the dragon's tail.

Impa shook her head. "Not if the boulder crushed its tail. If it was the head, or torso, maybe... either way, it'll die soon."

Zelda stared at the dragon; she hoped it would just die now. She watched Volvagia's tail give a weak shudder every now and then. The dragon was howling mournfully. So unlike it's fierce roar just this morning.

For a moment the young woman felt sorry for the dragon. She was suddenly reminded of Daijon. Like the Lizalfos, Volvagia was not evil; it may have been created by evil, but its nature wasx far from it. it was just doing what it could to survive. Otherwise Zelda was sure everyone in Kakariko village would have been killed long ago if the Dragon so desired. But Volvagia did not care to go that far. It just wanted to eat and be left alone.

Zelda was stirred from her thoughts when the dragon gave a final shudder. Its tail lay limp.

For a long moment she just watched, expecting something to happen. Listened to the steady blaze of fire above her head that she grew used to hearing from her time here. Smelled the intense smells of methane and soot.

Without warning an almight eruption exploded above their heads. The soundwaves pierced her ear drums, temporarily making her go deaf. Zelda stumbled to her hands and knees. The sudden vibrations twisted her stomach.

"Huh?" she gasped, raising her dagger like a drunk.

Impa was staring at the sky. "Look!"

The ring of fire. It was gone! All that remained were tiny flakes of soot, thousands of them falling from the sky like some demonic rain of ash. The once intense blackish-red sky was now a clear and sunny.

Volvagia's curse has lifted.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Zelda placed a hand on her forehead. It was shaking. "We actually did it.. we defeated Volvagia! Us!" She sat on her haunches, the elation of their victory overwhelming her. She tilted her head back and glanced at the clear blue sky. It looked so beautiful from this height. And smelled so wonderful!

Zelda, still smiling wildly, glanced at Impa.. She was covered head-to-foot in soot. Zelda would have laughed, if it was not for the fact she too was covered in the stuff, and did not feel like having a coughing fit.

Impa was dusting herself off, to no avail. "You did fantastic, Zelda," Impa said with a swift smile. She wiped a smear of soot from her face. It did not make it any better.

Zelda glanced at Impa, then herself. She turned her hands around hopefully. She frowned.

"Zelda, what are you doing?"

"It's not here."

"What?"

"The fire Medallion."

Impa, too, stared at herself stupidly. "The Sage of Fire's supposed to present the Medallion to us."

"As if I didn't know that," Zelda muttered.

Impa stared at Volvagia's corpse. ""So where is he?"

"I don't know!" Zelda snapped. "I-maybe Volvagia ate him too?" Zelda began walking, her mind working itself furiously. "Yes, that's a possibility. The Goron cave's empty, and Darunia's not exactly a coward."

Impa nodded. "Probably..."

Zelda swore and kicked a rock viciously. "That makes this whole stupid quest useless to begin with!"

"Maybe there's something else we forgot to accomplish?"

"But the dragon is dead!" Zelda said, pointing frantically at Volvagia's tail. "I thought it was the reason Darunia couldn't do anything. It's evil was too close, smothering his power. But if he is truly dead, who will give us the Fire Medallion now?"

Impa furrowed her eyes. She rubbed her forehead. "I... I don't know Zelda. Stop yelling at me. We don't know all the answers yet." She raised her eyes. "But if you thought Darunia might be dead from the start... why insist on pursuing the dragon?"

Zelda covered her knees with her arms. "I told you, I thought killing it would unleash the power of the Sage of Fire. I was wrong."

Did they seriously risk their lives for nothing, Zelda wondered? They failed to save the Gorons, they failed to find the Megaton Hammer, and now they failed to get the Fire Medallion. What was the point in this quest? They were supposed to keep a low profile. This would only attract Ganondorf's attention.

She hid her head in her arms. Were they taking the wrong path? It seemed so much easier watching Link through her visions. But now Zelda can appreciate how difficult it must have been for the green lad to walk blindly into new places, unaware of what may happen. Who he may meet. Who may be friend or foe.

A hand fell on Zelda's shoulders. They gripped her slightly. "Zelda, we should go. The Lizalfos will not ignore this. They'll be out for our blood."

The duo didn't travel far. They were already exhausted from climbing without sleep for hours. Impa decided some sleep in a tiny cave would do, or they may trip to their doom without watching their step.

Zelda had a fitful sleep about dragons and an ocarina that would always turn into a fairy when she touched it. When she tried to communicate with this strange sprite, it would always fly away. She woke up very early to find Impa already awake, staring at the still dark sky.

"You're up early," Zelda yawned. She stretched her stiff muscles. "Ready to go?"

Impa didn't answer. She still stared distractedly at the sky. Zelda opened her mouth to ask what's up, when she glanced down and noticed Impa hold something in her hand.

Zelda squinted. It was red, and glinted with its own light...

Zelda did not realize she had crawled quickly to Impa's side. "The Fire Medallion!' she gasped. "Impa, where did you get this?"

"Darunia," Impa said, tearing her eyes away from the sky. "He visited my dreams," Impa said when Zelda looked around, expecting to see the large Goron. "And gave me this." She held up the golden gilded emblem.

Zelda's eyes lit up. But then they dimmed. "So.. that means the other Gorons died out too?" she asked quietly. Impa nodded grimly.

Zelda felt something stir in her heart. Sadness: she was right, they were too late to save the Gorons; happiness: they retrieved a Medallion; and a bit jealous: the Sage of Fire visited Impa, when it was Zelda who had been dreaming of him for weeks.

She shouldered her burden. "So, next top Kakariko Town?"

Impa shook her head. "We go there," she pointed to the summit of Death Mountain.

Zelda stumbled. "Huh?"

"There's someone up there Darunia told me to see. It'll be beneficial for our quest."

[[[-]]]

"I know you're there!" Impa shouted. "Stop hiding!"

Zelda glanced from her friend, to the large stone and back again. _Oh dear, Impa's going senile, _she thought worriedly.

Just as Impa suggested, they climbed back up the summit of Death Mountain. Zelda feared they'd be persecuted by Lizalfos. But so far they came across not even a guard. And now, for the last minute, Impa had been shouting, threatening, and once threw a stone at the large rock, as if expecting it to jump out, but nothing happened. Zelda thought enough was enough.

"Impa," she said firmly. "Let's go. We're running rapidly low in supplies. We're wasting time. Time we don't have. And I don't want to spend another second here."

The older woman didn't seem to hear Zelda. Irritably flicking a strand of hair from her eyes, Impa shoved her hand in her pockets and pulled out something small and shiny. "Darunia gave me this!" She held up the Fire Medallion. "He told me you can help us! You don't have to hide anymore-Volvagia is dead!"

Zelda was now sure more than ever Impa had gone insane. She would have to find help for her. The young woman bent to pick up her burden, prepared for the long trek back down the mountain, when she felt the ground rumble.

Startled, she glanced up, struggling to keep her balance. The giant stone on the side of the mountain-it's moving!

With an almighty groan that sent showers of rock tumbling off the edge of the mountain, the huge stone slowly dislocated itself from the edge of the mountain. Grit and dust showered and rained as it slowly ascended, rising higher and higher. So high it just leveled itself with the peak of Death Mountain. Two large stones slowly unearthed themselves from the miniature-sized mountain, facing Zelda and Impa.

It took Zelda a moment to realize they were eyes.

A large and bumpy crack split open at the middle of the large eminence. Zelda watched, half-fascinated, half-frightened, as the towering Goron rumbled a deep sigh, ruffling their clothes. It stared down them blankly, as if there was nothing interesting about them.

"What is it you demand?" its voice boomed. "Why have you disturbed me from my slumber?"

"You are the Biggoron Darunia spoke of," Impa said loudly, to make herself heard. "He told me you can forge a weapon for us, one that is more powerful than the Legendary hammer itself!"

Zelda stared at Impa wildly, but she ignored her.

The Biggoron was silent.

"... I can."

Zelda was astonished. Here was a creature that could make them something just as strong as the Hammer! This brought a new question in her mind. "Wait, if you could have made this weapon, why not use it against Volvagia?" she called.

The Biggoron narrowed its eyes. It glared. "Impudent fool," he growled. "I did create such a weapon-I forged the Legendary Megaton Hammer all those years ago!"

"You did-?" Zelda's mind reeled. Just how old was this Goron?"

Biggorn, unable to hear Zelda's low voice, continued. "But before my race could retrieve the weapon from its perch, Volvagia settled in Fire Temple; the only weapon to stop it lay in its grasp. There was no time for me to create another; I spent my entire time laying here, munching quietly and hoping against hope Volvagia would leave!"

Zelda frowned, but instantly brightened. This was their big break!

"So you can make the Hammer again!"

Biggoron made as face, as if Zelda's request was dopey. "Why a hammer, when a sword with equal power and less weight would be far more beneficial? The hammer was designed only against Volvagia, nothing more!"

"Okay, so you can you make the sword?" Zelda asked, struggling to hold her impatience. She did not like the way Biggoron looked down on them, after they did so much to avenge him and his race. "Impa is telling the truth. The dragon is dead."

"So I've heard. But why?"

"Why what?"

"Wy should I create this sacred blade?" the Biggoron rumbled.

Was he serious? Zelda gaped. "Because we're trying to stop Ganondorf!" she shouted. She gestured to Impa and herself. "Don't you see how much we sacrificed to stop Volvagia?"

"No," The Goron replied simply. "I am blind."

Zelda's mouth hung open stupidly. Impa stared the Biggoron up and down seriously.

"... but," the Goron began.

Zelda felt her heart swell hopefully.

"For slaying that accursed Dragon, I will forge the blade. Vengeance against that Ganondorf for sending the Dragon to my species existence!" he boomed, shaking the very ground.

Zelda struggled to contain her happiness. This was perfect! Finally things were looking up for them!

"It will take me at least a week to make the sword," the Biggoron continued. "It would be sooner, but with my blindness, it can't be helped. Until then..."

Without another word, the Biggoron shifted, as if a whole section of the mountain was moving on its own, and crouched, his large hands working meticulously, head bent over so none could see.

He possibly kept all his tools on standby, in case any of the Gorons requested a weapon from him, Zelda figured. She sighed and glanced at her pack. A week! They'd probably starve before he was finished.

Zelda jumped at the sound of a blade unsheathed. Impa was crouched by Volvagia's lower half corpse. She took the end piece of the tail, brought her blade lower, and began hacking it to pieces!

"Impa, what are you doing?" Zelda demanded.

Impa sliced off a portion of the tail and lay it to one side. With that done, she took out a smaller knife and began shedding the outer skin. "Skinning," she answered simply. "We'll need to eat."

"But-we're going to eat a dragon?"

"Meat is meat."

Cut. skin. Lay the meat to one side. Repeat.

Zelda was used to eating wild animals. She would hunt them often with Impa for survival. But a Dragon...?

"What about the Lizalfos?"

"I'm not too worried."

"But yesterday you said-"

"Zelda, if the Lizalfos were truly trying to track us down, we'd have come across them by now," Impa said, waving her dagger impatiently. "But we haven't, so I'm assured that they either do not know, or they're hesitant. At least I hope."

"..." Zelda relaxed her shoulders slightly. Oh well, the dragon was dead. It was not under Ganondorf's control anymore, so any dark magic it possessed must be gone now. Without a word she unhitched her pack and pulled out the few torch woods for their fire.

[[[-]]]

"So, how's the new blade?" Zelda asked.

Impa waved her long Biggoron sword experimentally a few times. "Heavy," Impa said. She swung her blade against the wall beside the cave. It tore through the rock like butter and left a clean slash mark.

"Impressive," Impa breathed, enthralled by the blade. "Very impressive..."

The Biggoron blade seemed to vibrate with its own energy. Zelda tore her eyes away. It was good they were leaving. They had consumed much from Volvagia. Most of its body parts were no good save the really deep ends for the meat. But it was enough to keep them nourished, and the water skins they carefully drank to conserve.

Impa once suggested they drink Volvagia's blood for the extra nutrients, until Zelda gave her a look that said otherwise. She risked it with the meat, which Impa already said was charred and grilled for consumption, but Zelda took no chances cooking her share. The blood would be if she was left with absolutely no choice, and even then she'd probably debate herself.

"Smart choice," Impa had said. "Unlike the Sheikah, I don't think you built up an immunity to the side-effects of wild blood yet. We didn't need to cover it before." She looked thoughtful. "We could try it sometime."

Zelda struggled not to roll her eyes.

The waiting was done. They could finally leave this mountain behind!

Biggoron nodded approvingly. "If that is all you require..."

"It is!" Impa called. "Thank you!"

The Biggoron slowly lowered itself, lower, lower, until it disappeared, to curl up next to the mountain and sleep.

Zelda glanced at the Biggoron blade in Impa's hands. It was so long that she needed both hands to keep it steady. But it made up with the power it seemed to possess. Impa sheathed the blade behind her back, courtesy of Biggoron, and decided it was time to go.

Zelda hitched the leftover Volvagia meat they would be taking along, and followed her down the trail. She could already imagine the smells of Kakariko's Cucco meat and hot tea waiting for her.

* * *

**I apologize for posting this late. I've been wondering on and off how to present this. Volvagia meat must taste amazing, and wielding a blade so heavy you need two hands to keep it steady must call for tremendous strength.**


	7. Chapter 7

Zelda was horrified. She could hardly believe the sight that beheld her.

Earlier, she and Impa had climbed down Death Mountain, visibly alert and fearful. The Lizalfos would not take the sudden absence of the Ring of Fire and Volvagia's death lightly; they would be out of blood.

Yet not a snout poked out of the walls or crevices as far as Zelda could see. She did not know whether to worry or not. It was Impa who had concluded the Lizalfos were possibly frightened. They're unsure how to approach this sudden absence of Volvagia.

Zelda hesitantly accepted the notion; she was still on edge until she spotted the familiar rusted iron gate ahead.

It was here Impa decided Zelda should change out of her Sheikah outfit and don a more "natural" look. Suggesting she replace her current disguise with a different one. Zelda had just wrapped her fingers around the hem of her turtle-neck when she paused. Her ears twitched.

She heard shrieks.

She gazed past the iron cat. She smelled blood. Thick and coppery.

Impa looked up. "Zelda?"

Zelda did not realize she was running through the Iron Gate with her dagger out. Her other hand flicked to her waist and produced a small buckler shield.

She carefully paused at the top of the hill over-looking Kakariko Village. She was panting. From the tiresome hike out of the mountain with little to eat, Zelda was exhausted. Yet the site before her made the thought of eating leave her mind.

Fire.

The buildings were ablaze with violent flames. Bodies were strewn over cobbled streets and flopped grotesquely on rooftops, as if enjoying the sunlight. Blood smeared the walls and the pavements. Screams of fear pierced the air and people ran for their lives. She saw tiny specks of the population leave the village. Others were running around like ants caught in the rain.

Zelda was not aware she was stumbling until Impa placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Be steady," she said.

"What is-what's happening?" Zelda panted.

Impa scanned the village. "I don't know. Maybe a raid?"

Zelda ran down the hill.

"Zelda!" Impa shouted. "Come back!"

Zelda ran until her feet pounded pavement. People were in pandemonium, running and pushing her out of the way to escape the chaos. Horses ran riderless through the streets, children cried. A burst of flames sprouted behind a rooftop to Zelda's right. Half a minute later another explosion sounded to her left.

_What is going on? _she thought frantically. _Who's doing this? _She didn't find one shady-looking villager or creature. She turned a corner across the street end and found more people. Some were not moving, their bodies forgotten.

Despite the chaos a small group of people were working with Kakariko soldiers to pry loose rubble from demolished buildings. The survivors they managed to uncover would be hauled away to safety and the corpses sadly abandoned. They could not afford to respect the dead in a situation as this.

Zelda theorized a cannonball possibly did this, but she almost immediately dispensed the idea. There was no black soot or stray powder.

Inaudible words sounded behind the wall of a wrecked inn. Zelda peaked around the corner. An elderly woman lay curled in the remains of a wooden floor. Blood coated her forehead. She was moaning and clutching her elbow.

Zelda knelt beside her. "Don't worry," she tried to soothe. It came out with a grunt. "You'll be okay."

The elbow was broken, she would need a splint. Zelda uttered a small apology and tore off a strip of cloth from the woman's dress. She shaped it and tied the cloth securely around her elbow.

"Can you walk?"

"I don't know," the woman slurred. "It hurts so much..."

Zelda was too exhausted to attempt to carry her burden. She looked over her shoulder for help. The people left, along with the survivors. She was on her own.

"Try." Zelda gently but firmly helped her to her feet. "We can't stay here." She looked around blankly. Where do you take an injured victim in the middle of a chaotic villager? Outside the village? Zelda decided her best bet was to follow the others, see where they dumped the survivors. She hoped the traffic general public died down.

"What's your name?" Zelda asked, hoping to alleviate the woman's pain.

"Gertha."

"Gertha, do you know what happened here? Who did this?"

Gertha's eyes fluttered. "I don't know. I was stacking dishes when-" she swallowed. "-noise, shouts. It felt like a cannonball... Where's my husband?"

Zelda looked up. She spotted a bloodied leg poke out of large slabs of cement.

She turned Gertha's head away and half-walked, half-carried her somewhere she hoped was safe.

[[[-]]]

"I swear, you run as if you're a rabbit!" Impa rasped. She looked angry.

Zelda nodded absently. She had managed to hail one of the passing horse-drawn wagons and ease Gertha inside. She shoved a handful of Rupees in the rider's hands and watched him ride away. Zelda felt almost resentful. She trusting Gertha's well-being to a stranger. It pained her to part with the Elder, but she had to stay and help the others.

She was going to search for more survivors when Impa grabbed her wrist.

"Zelda, wait."

Impa, we don't have time," Zelda snapped. She tugged. Impa vice-gripped.

"The Well," Impa coughed.

"What about it?" Zelda said impatiently. As an answer Impa tugged her wrist hard. She practically dragged her to central square. She pointed and Zelda immediately understood. Dread coursed her body.

The fear. That concealed emotion of atrocity she felt when she gazed at the Well. She could not feel it anymore.

[[[-]]]

A body sailed over Zelda's head.

She reached out and tried to conjure a quick spell to catch the victim. She was too late.

Zelda managed to turn her head away the moment the screaming man thumped on the roof.

She had a hard time focusing. People were pushing her. Zelda pushed back without thinking. The screams gave her a headache, claustrophobia set in; everywhere she looked, she saw nothing but fear in their faces.

Zelda broke away from the throng and huddled against the wall, clutching it as if it kept her sanity from spilling. She and Impa had separated during the en masse. She couldn't find her. And these people weren't helping running around like wild Cucco.

It brought a question to her mind. Why was this village still full of people? The community's, but not that big that there'd still be large throngs. Was someone keeping them here? Hindering their escape?

Zelda grabbed an arm from the crowd and hauled a young teen. "What's going on here?" She demanded. "Who's doing this?"

The youth's eyes blazed with terror. Zelda forgot she still don her Sheik outfit. Her piercing red eyes and rough voice possibly frightened the lad.

"I-I don't know!" he babbled. "I tried to get out, but someone keeps starting fires! Or throws buildings at us or grabs us from the shadows!"

Throw buildings? Zelda'mind reeled. So someone was holding the villagers here. Why? To enjoy watching them scream and push their way to a corner? She didn't see or hear the culprit demand anything. Whoever they are, they don't want to be seen. But why do this? Was this all a game?

Or were they trying to kill everyone?

The youth yanked his arm and ran. Zelda ignore him.

She watched the people running away from a particular area downtown. But she had just come from there. Nothing had looked suspicious. She hesitated, fidgeting with the grip of her blade.

She braced herself and ran through the crowd. She turned the corner and raised her blade.

Nothing.

No monster, no army with weapons ready to kill. Everything looked to be in order.

She would have continued, possibly go further to the center or the edge of town, if it were not for the sudden tightening in her chest. Zelda stiffened. She could feel something watching her. She didn't know why, but it left her paralyzed. She could barely breathe.

"Move it!" Zelda felt someone tackle her around the waist. She stumbled off the road.

The action snapped her out of her trance. She roared and kicked the attacker, hard. The stranger immediately let go. Zelda flipped to her feet and held out of blade.

It was a soldier. He and another were on the ground; they peered at her through sweaty face. Another soldier came in view, giving one of the elderly a piggy-back ride away from the chaos. It could have been a young woman giving her grandfather a ride through the park.

"Are you crazy?'" the soldier shouted. He and the other, a woman with graying her, were on their knees. "It almost got you!"

"What?"

"That... that thing!"

Zelda followed their gaze. She saw nothing.

She narrowed her eyes and looked more closely. A long shadow slithered just around the corner of the street and disappeared. It happened so quickly Zelda was not sure if she actually saw it.

She followed the shadow.

"Hey! Come back!" The soldier yelled.

Zelda rounded the corner. Ahead of her lay a bare stretch of chicken coops and a rusted playground. She irritably pounded her fist against the wall. She was in turmoil: half-relieved she didn't come across the thing, half-irritated she lost the trail.

What was going on? Nothing that big could simply disappear. Or, was it big? Zelda only saw a shadow. Perhaps the sun made it seem large from the side, when it disappeared? No, the sun was behind Zelda, it wouldn't have cast the shadow at the angle she saw.

Zelda stood up straighter. Someone was watching her again. She carefully flitted her eyes at the walls, the rooftops, anywhere an assassin could hide. Nothing.

As quickly as it came, the feeling vanished. She waited tensely for an attack. She massaged the see-through magical binds in her fingers. It was gone.

She slowly exhaled and fingered her blade. She failed to conjure the familiar reassurance. She was facing something a dagger wouldn't stop.

A scream pierced the silence. A little girl's scream. Zelda's blood ran cold; the sound came from behind.

She turned back around the corner. She nearly tripped over the soldiers laying on the ground.

"Huh?" Zelda gasped. Their bodies were twisted. They had identical looks of surprise on their faces, their necks cracked awkwardly.

Zelda shakily crouched to observe them closely. Actually, it was to stop the shaking.

So fast. The creature killed these people behind her and Zelda did not even hear it. It could have gotten her any time. Even now, while she sat here staring at dead bodies while the thing was on the loose.

Zelda snatched the shield from the corpse, slung it over her shoulder and strapped it in place. She eyed the blades. They would slow her down. By the Goddess's, she was already exhausted.

Zelda muttered a swift prayer to their souls and swiftly retreated. She leaped over a fence, passed an empty yard and turned into another empty street.

No, wait, it wasn't empty.

The was a little girl. She looked no more then eight with a tangle of brown hair and freckles on her pale frightened face. She was sliding away from Zelda.

No, not sliding. It looked as if she was being dragged by something. She screamed and scrabbled frantically on the ground, her face grimy and sobbing. Ahead of the street a house was ablaze; the girl was sliding to the front entrance.

_No!_ Zelda thought frantically.

She ran after the rapidly retreating child, pumping her legs as hard as she could. She flicked her hands and caught the child around the waist with her magical binds. She grunted and dug her feet on the pavement.

Zelda was nearly yanked off the ground. Was this magic?

She grunted and pulled as hard as she could. The veins on her arms throbbed, sweat lined her face. The tug-of-war lasted on seconds.

There was a final yank. Zelda felt her feet fly and crumpled painfully on the pavement. The thing succeeded. The magical binds disappeared.

"No!" Zelda leaped and reached out her hand. Something collided with her face and sent her sprawling back. Her nose broke, blood gushed in her mouth. The little girl's screams continued long after she was dragged into the blazing fire.

_No! _

Zelda staggered to her feet. She spat blood and blindly ran to the entrance. She could feel her face perspire, the heat singe her hair. She hardly noticed the shadow sliding towards her, engulfing her. A shadow spread over her.

Boots pounded behind her. There was a flash of light. A guttural howl shook Zelda's bones.

Immediately the paralyzing feeling left her once again. Someone grabbed her shoulder and roughly pulled her away from the fire. Zelda reflexively jabbed her elbow in her assailant's ribs. It jammed armor.

A hand wrapped around her waist at the same moment the top of the building collapsed on the bottom floor.

"Look what you did!" Zelda screeched. Arms turned her swiftly around.

"Impa!" Zelda gasped. She fought against the gray-haired woman; Impa still clutched her tightly. "Let me go! We have to save her!" She stared at the fire imploringly.

Flames greeted her vision.

"Zelda-"

"Let me go, dammit!" Zelda roared. Why wasn't Impa trying to help her? Did she want the little girl to die? She could still be in there holed up inside all alone.

"Zelda-"

"Impa, shut up and let Go!" She lashed out a fist. It collided with Impa's jaw. She staggered, bewildered by the sudden blow. Zelda immediately kicked her mentor until she fell.

Zelda was too angry to think. Her chest rising and falling rapidly with each flutter of her turtle-neck. The fire, the peoples' screams, they felt like background noise.

The little girl.

Zelda turned. Impa took the momentary distraction to trip her knees and lock the young woman in an arm-lock, pushing her face on the ground. She increased the pressure until Zelda felt like her shoulder was going to snap.

Zelda turned her face away. Dirt and blood coated her lower jaw. "Impa!"

"Zelda! Enough!" Impa shouted over the peoples' screams.

"No, dammit!" Zelda roared. "We just have to-"

"She's gone!" Impa bellowed. "You'll only waste your life!"

"No..." Tears streaked her face. Zelda blinked them away furiously. "She's alive!"

"No, she isn't." Impa repeated. "Focus! There are still people ALIVE that need our help!" Zelda continued her mindless struggle. Impa tightened her grip. "I will not wait, if you continue to fight I will tie you down and leave you, do you understand?"

Zelda wildly pounded her forehead against the pavement. She immediately regretted it. She felt her forehead split open. Now she had a headache on top of a broken nose. She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. She slowly forced herself to relax.

"...Okay."

Impa carefully released her. Zelda pressed her turban against her forehead. Blood coated the bandages instantly.

Impa pushed a small bottle of blue liquid in her hands. Healing solution. Zelda wordlessly tipped the bottle back and drank deeply. Her mouth burned but she ignored it. She wiped her mouth and corked the rest of the mixture in place. She could feel her nose painfully right itself properly and her forehead stitch itself. It was going to take time.

"... now what?" She glanced anywhere but the burning fire or Impa.

Impa was surveying the destruction. She glanced at the floor and crates. She tilted her head and stared at something Zelda couldn't see past the buildings. Her eyes slowly trailed the perimeter. She failed to notice Zelda quickly wipe her eyes behind her back.

Impa's eyes finally met Zelda's. "I have an idea."


	8. Chapter 8

Zelda knocked bomb barrels and kicked crates into the cobbled streets. She rolled barrels and dumped their contents quickly over the pile. She tried and failed not to breathe the substance. A thick cloud of black nearly obscured her vision. She ignored the stains on her bodysuit and gazed at her work. Not enough. She needed more.

Zelda broke into shops and tossed barrels and heaved boxes through the windows. She continued until the street was nice and thick with powdery suite. She summoned a quick spell and swept her arms, spreading the powder further.

She checked her surroudings carefully. No one in sight. Satisfied, Zelda positioned herself at the one end of the street as Impa had instructed. She brought her fingers to her lips and uttered a long, shrill whistle.

Hopefully Impa received the signal. She had left Zelda with instructions to inform the few guards available keep people away from this specific area. It was not easy to convince them-they had thought Zelda was trying to cause more problems.

That is, until Zelda had angrily let slip it was by Impa's idea. That snapped them out of their stubborn attitude; they had immediately gone into action hoarding the crowds away from here.

Zelda had heard Impa was famous here, but she had no idea it'd last after seven years of absence. Perhaps her fame for sealing Bongo Bongo last time was still well known. Unless she still came here from time to time?

Zelda shook her head. Now was not the time for that. She pricked her ears nervously and bounced from foot to foot. She forgot how nervous she became when she was alone and inactive. Mental thoughts began to assault her. Zelda ignored them and waited.

Still no signs of Impa.

It's alright, Zelda told herself. It would take her a while to do this. _She just needs more time._

Zelda almost cried for joy when she spotted the tall woman appear at the end of the street. Impa slipped on the powder, steadied herself and kept running, huffing while the Biggoron blade bounced on her back.

A long shadow slither around the corner after the Sheikah. Zelda watched it carefully.

She nearly growled in frustration when the shadow paused just outside the soot trail. It quivered hesitantly. Did it know?

_Come on, come on, _Zelda urged silently. _Do it!_

She could feel the thing stare directly at her. Zelda snapped her fingers nervously; a warm ball of fire erupted between her fingers.

The shadow backed away.

_No no no!_

Impa looked over her shoulder. She saw the shadow retreating and halted, panting. She waved her arms and shouted something inaudible. Zelda thought it sounded like "Pain" or something.

Whatever it was did the trick. The Shadow was just disappearing around the corner when it halted; the tip was all that Zelda could see.

It bellowed.

It startled the young woman. This entire time she took the entity as something quiet. It sounded furious. The Shadow streaked after the Sheikah with rapid speed it never displayed before. It tore viciously through the Soot trail. Impa ran.

"Zelda! Now!" she shouted.

Zelda hesitated. Impa was still in the powder trail. "But-"

"Just do it!"

Zelda tossed the small orange light and backed away. It was like watching a miniature sun drop. She watched Impa, still running with a determined look on her face. Her boots slapped clouds of dust, sending plumes of soot in the air. The blacker then night smudge followed her hungrily not even a meter behind her, rapidly closing the gap.

Impa's eyes were on the small light of fire.

Zelda watched it touch the edge of the trail.

A deafening explosion rocked the young woman's ears. The shock-wave flung her body like a ragged doll caught in a powerful gust of wind. Her body collided heavily on the flagged stone and skidded; the scar in her forehead felt like it was going to split open again. Coils of yellow and red fire exploded in the air, blinding the Hylian that she had to turn her head away from the intense heat. Her sensitive ears rang.

An unearthly scream rose through the explosion. Zelda raised her head fearfully.

"Impa!"

Clouds of smoke rolled over her. She quickly raised her turtle neck higher and squinted through the fog. She coughed and felt her eyes tear up.

"Impa?" Zelda hacked. She hitched the turtle neck higher on her mouth and called her friend's name again.

No answer.

The young woman stumbled forward, her dagger by her side. Her boots scrunched on used up bomb powder. She fanned the soot clouds away with a sluggish wind spell. She walked blindly until her boot kicked kicked something solid.

Zelda recoiled. She fanned the smoke weakly and crouched over the obscured figure.

"... Impa?" she whispered fearfully. Her hands were shaking so hard she had to press them firmly against her knees.

Somewhere to her left a door squeaked open. Zelda jumped to her feet. A voice coughed, "Here."

Zelda's heart beat with joy as Impa staggered out of the threshold of an old Grocery market. Miraculously, Impa had tackled open the door and closed it just when the bomb trail exploded. If Zelda was not so shaken she might have commented the older woman's skills.

Impa's entire body, save part of her face, was masked in soot. She probably looked as bad as Zelda.

"Did we get it?"

Zelda looked down at the thing she mistook for Impa's corpse. The smoke diminished enough for Zelda to identify a finger. A very large finger.

Her mouth gaped. "What the hell is this?"

The finger ended with a hand. A hand so large it could easily wrap its fingers around Zelda's body. The skin was burnt and sizzled like cooked meat. It ended at the wrist. No arm to support it. Zelda assumed whatever massive creature was attached to this hand was incinerated with the blast.

Then she found the body.

It was no further then a few meters away. A large and twisted looking creature with the shape of a human torso. Zelda couldn't see anything that might be legs; this thing ended at the thigh. Arms splayed out with stumps in the end, as if someone chopped off the hands halfway down to the arm.

No head was perched on the neck. Flaps hung over the severed neck, the spine protruded and stretched against the taut grayish skin, as if a worm burrowed itself behind this creature's back.

The smell of death and decay over-powered Zelda's nostrils. She crouched and vomited her thin breakfast. Impa's lower lip trembled, her eyes never left the enormous giant.

"What is that thing?" Zelda groaned.

Impa coughed. "Bongo Bongo. A phantom," she wheezed. She took out a small blade. With a careful look at Zelda she carefully walked around the creature. Zelda kept staring at it.

This was the creature Impa sealed? How in the Goddess's name did she manage this by herself? Zelda's questions could wait. She noticed something off about this creature.

She was quite sure her eyes were not playing tricks on her.

It was like she was looking at the Phantom, and at the same time not looking at it. She could faintly see past its torso.

_Well no duh, Zelda, _she scolded herself. _It's a phantom!_

She shook her head and focused on the thing's design. She was sure someone must have sliced off the neck, legs and arms. This creature looked unfinished. An imperfect specimen brought to life too early and made to survive with the limitations nature wrought.

Or someone.

She glanced again at the hands. Was this the monster whose hands dragged that poor girl in the fire? Rage and fury engulfed Zelda. She spat angrily.

"It looks as if someone's already done something to this thing," Zelda grunted.

Something shifted outside her vision. Zelda glanced up.

She caught sight of pebbled gray texture smeared with blood and scabs before darkness smothered her. It happend so fast, so quietly she couldn't piece together what just happened.

Intense pressure shot her back to reality.

The phantom hand was squeezing her body. Zelda gasped, her chest hurt. Her hands were bound tight beside her, unable to move. She felt suffocation, the lack of air made her dizzy.

Zelda shoved her mouth open and bit into the skin. Rot and decay engulfed her mouth and did nothing to hinder the phantom's progress. She could hear Impa shouting. The hand swung her violently. Her heart lurched even as she felt her bones constrict. It was much harder to breathe. Stars popped in front of her eyes.

I can't die! her mind slurred. Can't...

Daylight smacked her in the face. Zelda visibly flinched. Impa had her Biggoron blade poised over her shoulder. She was covered in dark red blood; mixed with the black soot and red eyes, it gave her a demonic appearance.

The Sheikah waved her blade and sliced off another finger. Zelda's arms were free; the fist shifted its thumb to increase the pressure on her chest, choking her air supply. Zelda struggled weakly against the larger digit. Her hands slipped from the violent shaking.

A howl drummed through her ears; Zelda felt her mind slow, like the cogs of a clock clanking slowly with time and age. Her eyes fluttered while the fist raised her away from Impa's onslaught, higher and higher in the air.

It felt like a dream. As if she was watching it from another perspective. Perhaps she'll wake up alive and in peace, still sitting atop the mountain waiting for Biggoron to finish Impa's blade. Or maybe they never started this quest.

Zelda felt her arms drop to her sides. The fist held her upside down. Lazily Zelda tilted her head back, stared at the smoke and blackened street. It looked odd from this position. She caught sight of Impa's terrified gaze.

The fist tensed.

"Zelda!" Impa shouted.

Her mind kicked itself to reality. She was going to die. A hollow laugh escaped her throat. Was this how Link felt, before he died? Did he even have time to perceive such cognition before his death, or was it swift?

It mattered very little from her standpoint. At least it opened her eyes to reality. As the fist dropped, Zelda instinctively clasped her hands together in prayer.

The last thing she saw was black cement before the fist punched the floor with tremendous force so powerful the very ground cracked. Impa lost balance against the vibrations and pitched backwards. She fell painfully on her elbows.

She ignored the pain, watching horrified as the fist smashed Zelda like a grotesque pancake.

The smoke steadily cleared. Impa squinted; there was no splatter of blood. The fist was wedged on a small crater; between its fingers a soft pinkish glow surrounded the blue-clad female. Impa uttered an inaudible grateful tone.

Zelda was unharmed.

Her eyes were closed, her hands still clasped as if in prayer as the glow spread; the Triforce symbol shone through her wrist guard. The phantom's fist visibly struggled and attempted once again to squeeze the life out of its failed assassin. The glow steadily over-powered it until it forced the strained fingers to open.

Zelda opened her eyes and streaked out of the hand. She rolled and fell sideways; it was not easy to use Triforce magic. Her head swam through tunnel vision while Zelda attempted to get her bearings. She pressed a cold palm on her pounding skull. She felt like she was going to throw up.

Before she could fully recover, a large shadow engulfed her. The blackened hand with three fingers loomed over her menacingly. Zelda flopped sideways weakly. She couldn't summon the strength to move away.

"Impa?" she gurgled quietly.

The suffocating feeling rose in her chest. Zelda felt herself paralyze with fear once again. She watched, mystified, as the hand closed in on her.

A shriek split the air; Zelda felt her headache flare with new pain. A blade speared itself through the Phantom's palm. It fingers quivered and twitched angrily. It dropped heavily with a large thud. Impa sat atop the hand, digging her blade deeper while the fingers convulsed.

The large Phantom. It was thrashing and moaning violently. It shook and arched its back as if in pain.

As Zelda watched, she understood. She didn't know how, or why, but she understood they were in trouble. It was like the Triforce symbol on her hand was warning her. Or possibly the cause of this problem. She couldn't be sure.

She stumbled to her feet. Her stomach threatened to expel itself. "Impa, we must... must-"

Zelda sank to her knees. She barely hear Impa's shouts and the Phantom's moans.

A dark castle. Tall, imposing and magnificent loomed over her like a giant monster. Pools of lava formed below the floating island. She was leaving the scene. Floating away. No, flying. She was flying away from the castle. She flew until her face brushed clouds. She quickly dipped to scan the surroundings.

She spotted Death Mountain.

Zelda smile triumphantly.

_I have you now._

On the back of her black gauntlet, two triangles glowed fiercely red.

_No!_

Zelda pushed the vision away and pulled herself back to reality. She clutched the ragged concrete; her fingers wouldn't stop shaking.

Another moan drifted in the air. The Phantom, scarred, bleeding, and missing both its hands, was struggling to climb a roof with its body. Impa was hacking mercilessly at the thigh. She was unaware. Bongo Bongo was not the threat. Not now.

Zelda tensed and forced herself to her feet. She wavered.

"Impa! We have to go!" she croaked. It was important she knew. Zelda stumbled drunkenly. "He's coming! Ganondorf's coming!"

Impa whipped around, her attention on the Phantom completely forgotten. Her wide red eyes stretched wide with horror. "What? How do you-"

"No time! The... ocarina!" Zelda panted.

"Zelda, there's no time for that." Impa gripped Zelda beneath her arm and pulled. "We have to escape!"

"No!" Zelda tore her arm away. She fell against the wall and slid painfully on the floor.

"What is wrong with you?" Impa demanded.

"Listen to me!" Zelda closed her eyes tight. Her head wouldn't stop pounding. She rubbed her forehead and felt hair; she lost her turban. "The Ocarina. It'll work," she slurred. She fumbled for the satchel beside Impa's waist.

"Zelda-"

"Trust me."

Impa hesitated.

Zelda glanced up once. Dark clouds swirled over Hyrule Castle. They pushed their way from Hyrule Castle like an arrow that expanded behind the tail. Moving as gentle as any cloud. Zelda knew better. Someone was in those clouds, hungrily approaching their destination with vigor.

Zelda had no time to wait for Impa's approval. She fished the instrument and jammed it to her lips. She played the first song that flared in her mind. The notes echoed softly in the air.

She ended the song with a shaky blow and waited expectantly.

Impa had her blade out and over Zelda's crumpled form. Her eyes never left the rapidly approaching mass of clouds.

Zelda closed her eyes and prayed quietly.

Nothing happened.

She glanced up again. The cloud were now circulating above Death Mountain. It swirled, homing in on them. The wind roared in Zelda's ears, making her flinch. The shadow over them rapidly grew and grew as the clouds bore over them. The Phantom raised its neck to the sky and uttered a small mewl; it sensed the evil's approach.

"Try again," Impa instructed. She bit her lower lip, staring directly at the mass of clouds that housed an inferno of vivid red. The bun undone, her hair whipped dangerously over her face. "Maybe you played the wrong notes!"

Zelda stared the clouds; it's shadow already stretched over the village, darkening the sky. It was like a tornado descending from the heavens to consume the entire village. Zelda could feel eyes in the turbulent winds hold her down. How was he doing that?

Impa grabbed her shoulder hard. "Zelda!"

The young woman jumped. She forced herself to focus on the instrument and played the notes, carefully; she called on the Goddess's to save them, the Sages, anyone that looked after them.

Despite the terror, exhaustion and the rapidly diminishing temperature, warmth flowed through Zelda. The Triforce on her hand glowed reassuringly. The effect was instant.

The last she saw was a giant figure with red eyes reach for her with black gauntlets, before green light flashed through her eyes. Ganondorf's screams of fury followed her long after Zelda and Impa teleported away from the Gerudo King.

* * *

This was an interesting Chapter. Bongo Bongo had a history here that's very... violent. Yes. Full of bitter anger and resentment against the entire Village and Impa for sealing it n_n

Raygin: Zelda has that idea she could save anyone. Very dangerous, Impa needed to knock some sense into her :c


End file.
